


You Don’t Have To Cry When It Rains

by CandyFloss2



Category: RWBY
Genre: Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Childhood Sweethearts, Childhood Trauma, Comfort, Developing Friendships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Male-Female Friendship, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:07:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22071529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CandyFloss2/pseuds/CandyFloss2
Summary: After the fall of Kuroyuri, Lie Ren and Nora promised to stay by each other's side, but how can a couple kids possibly survive alone in Remnant? What hardships will they face? Will the harsh world be too much or will they be able to overcome their trials together?A Renora coming of age story.
Relationships: Lie Ren & Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie
Comments: 12
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Story takes place Pre-Beacon. Nora and Ren are roughly 9 years old. Story will be linear and have some skips between events. The I want to try and stay as close to canon as I can while also adding my own head canons.
> 
> I haven't written many fics in years and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. I'm not the best writing but I'm doing my best, so please feel free to R&R and let me know how I can improve!

"Renny! RENNY!! Lookie what I got!" 

A young tangerine haired girl approached her partner skipping with glee. In her small hands, a bag full of.. something. Lie Ren had just finished putting up the abandoned tent they found and was currently working on getting a fire started. The spunky girl noticed the makeshift campsite and was starstruck. Finally, they didn't have to keep making tents out of leaves and things they found on the way. A stroke of luck! They almost didn't take the tent. 'What if they come back for it?' Ren would ask, not wanting to take something from someone else, but after what felt like hours of deliberation and waiting for the owner, they decided to check out the tent and came to the conclusion that it was abandoned. There were a few supplies still left inside; matches, a blanket, even some snacks. The duo looked at the find in confusion, but partook of the spoils. Whoever owned this tent seemed to have left in a rush. Or a panic. But that trash quickly became their treasure. Nora still distracted by the tent started with flurry of comments like "WOW! How did you get it to stay up?" and "It looks just like a little house!" had sat her bag of goodies on the ground, which gave Lie Ren the opportunity to see why she was so excited in the first place. 

It was full of food. A lot of food. Way more food than the amount of Lien he gave Nora could buy. That was the Lien his mother had given him to buy his father something from his return back home. That little bit of Lien was all Ren has left of his parents. It was his special treasure and he kept it in his pocket, not wanting to spend it. It made him feel safe. But alas, they were desperate and they needed food. Food that wasn't the occasional berries and nuts they would find. He looked peculiar at the bag then at the girl. Eventually Nora noticed him staring at her. Her attention back on the boy. She grabbed the bag, picking it up and shaking to show how full and heavy it was. Nora smiled sheepishly. 

"Look at all this stuff I got!" 

"Yeah that is... a lot of stuff... " the boy paused before continuing. Wondering, but also fearing how Nora got all that food. Now that he thought about it, she had been gone for a while. He feared the worse. They were just a couple of kids and couldn't outrun any adults or people after them and they definitely couldn't afford a target on their heads. They had no way to protect themselves or hide. He remembered the last time they had to outrun danger. They had been on the road for a while now, hadn't eaten anything in days, but Nora had found a bunch of food. Still warm and not disclosing to Ren where she got it, they desperately started chowing down, only to be interrupted by intimidating voices yelling in the distance, questioning where their food was. Caught and scared, he took Nora's hand and ran off, foot steps quickly following behind them but they were able to put them space between and get away. 

They got lucky back then, but he never wanted to experience something like that again. 

"You... didn't steal that did you?"

Nora's smile quickly turned into a frown before she answered "NO!!" Ren continued to look at Nora. She stomped a leg and her arms simultaneously in protest. 

"Honest Lie!! I went to buy the food you told me to and the lady gave me extras! I.. I think.. I think she felt bad for me.." Nora's raised voice faded into a sound of embarrassment as she looked down, holding hem of her shirt. She clearly wasn't from Anima, and despite washing and taking care of herself, her clothes were tattered and shown heavy signs of wear. Actually, now that he looked at her, her clothes actually looked like they had been washed. Ren's eyes soften and Nora shaked her head as she sat next to him. 

"Here!" She tossed the bag towards Ren. 

"I promised I wouldn't do that anymore, but fine! If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you!" 

"I believe you Nora, I'm sorry."  
It wasn't that Lie Ren didn't understand why Nora stole food. It wasn't that he didn't understand how desperate they were back then, how she had potentially saved them on the brink of starvation, rather that he didn't want her to, especially if he could help it. Stealing was a dishonest thing that his father had always told him not to do, and that people who steal can get into a lot of trouble. 

Nora was now the only family he had, the only thing he had left in this world. She had become just as attached to him as he had to her. Not ever wanting to leave each other's side. Wanting to protect and be there for each other, in fact- Today was the first time she volunteered to do anything without him. 

Despite the two only knowing each other for a few months now, he cared for her so much. He didn't want anything to happen to her. Ren was lost in his thoughts, he didn't even notice Nora was rustling through the bag, sitting supplies on her lap. She looked, embarrassed? She held out unknown goods to Lie Ren. 

He, had no idea what he was looking at. The silence made Nora even more embarrassed and she pushed the cotton pads onto his chest. 

"Ah!" Ren replied in surprised.  
"The lady gave me extra food because of these!" 

There was another awkward pause between the two of them. He was completely dumbfounded, and Nora was hating so bad that she would have to spell everything out for him. 

"UGH!!" Nora balled her hands in her lap, looking away as she spoke.  
"REN I'M BLEEDING OK?!"

Lie Ren's eyes wide with concern. Looking at her arms and legs. He didn't see any wounds. 

"Did you hurt yourself?" 

"NO DUMMY!! I...I.."  
Nora's face frowned in frustration, hating this conversation. She sighed at her partners ignorance. 

"Girls have this STUPID thing happen when they bleed for a week and their stomach hurts and and it's supposed to mean your growing up and I-" Nora's words were running at the speed of light, wanting to finish explaining this as quickly as possible.

"I started bleeding today! Didn't you see?!" Ren remaining quiet, lips zipped like a zipper, silently shaking his head no. 

"I started when we got to the town. I told you to go back and set up the tent and that I would get food and catch up with you later! I found a lady who was selling stuff and she saw my pants and washed them for me, she even gave me the cotton pads and extra food for free! I'm sorry I took so long and I didn't know how to tell you, everyone was staring at us and I-" 

Ren put Nora's belongings back in the bag and held her hands empathically. He looked at her and gave her an understanding smile. Her eyes furrowed anxiously, almost scared. 

"I'm just glad you're safe."

"I told you, I'm not gonna steal anymore, don't you believe me?"

"I, I do, I-I just.." Lie Ren's words stuck in his throat.

"I just didn't want anything bad to happen to you!"

Nora's eyes wided at the volume in the usual soft spoken boys voice. Their eyes had finally met and locked on each other. Nora's embarrassment and Ren's worry both seemed to just wash away in the moment. She held out her and Ren's pinky finger and wrapped them around each other.

"We, promised to keep each other safe, remember?" Lie Ren's focus went from Nora's face to the way their fingers intertwined each other. He felt so bad for doubting her, even for a moment. If they were going to make it on their own, he would have to trust her as much as she trusted him, especially with something as intimate as this. He was sure all of this was embarrassing for her, but she trusted him enough to share. This grip of his pinky finger tightened around Nora's, looking up at her again. Magenta gems meeting torquoise ones. He would keep his promise too. He would continue to trust her. 

"We'll keep each other safe."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the fall of Kuroyuri, Lie Ren and Nora promised to stay by each other's side, but how can a couple kids possibly survive alone in Remnant? What hardships will they face? Will the harsh world be too much or will they be able to overcome their trials together?
> 
> A Renora coming of age story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and the next chapter, mention an original character just to keep the story progressing. I'm really excited for this story so far. I hope you all enjoy it and please be sure to R&R!
> 
> (I also try my very best to check for typos and to make sure the story is consistent, but don't be surprised if a few chapters are edited or expanded on as I keep building the world on this fic! I am also open to suggestions!)

Nora and Lie Ren had been lucky. 

The two of them had been traveling through Anima without a map. The roads and paths leaving Kuroyuri were clear and easy to follow. They were able to follow roads that lead to other neighboring cities and towns. The two relied a little too much on crossroad signs and landmarks, but they were becoming more and more scarce. The duo starting doing what they had before. Ren checked the roads for any signs of footprints or tracks, Nora climbed trees to see if here were any signs of smoke or of them getting close to another village, but it pretty clear they were walking in circles.

"Heyy! I'm PRETTY sure we've past this tree before!" The bubbly red-head replied.

Ren had to admit that tree looked awful familiar, but at this point everything was starting to look the same. It seems no matter which way they went, the path they were following just seemed to disappear and the two had absolutely no idea where to go. Ren started walking less and less, becoming more anxious and nervous with each passing moment. He had felt confident when he could see the path before them, but now it was become more and more clear that he had no idea where they were going. Where they should be going. What they were even doing. 

Would they just spend the rest of their lives on the road, scrapping for food until Grimm eventually hunt them down.

The Nuckelavee's image flashed in his mind.  
He jumped at his companions sudden yelling.

"REEENNNNNNN! WE'RE LOST!!!" Nora's voice echoed, causing even the nearby birds to leave.  
Ren looked at her sharply, speaking to her in a scolding tone.

"SHH! Keep it down Nora."

"But it's TRUEEEE!!" She ignored his request, throwing her arms up in the air and landing on her back. The two of them were exhausted. They were running low on rations, daylight and morale.

"We can't see the road anymore and everything looks the same!!" Her face now showing the same around of worry as Ren's. She looked up to him hopeful, his face solemn. An awkward pause was shared between. They suddenly felt the weight of their situation get heavier and heavier with each second that passed. The silence only broken by Nora's loud and aggressive stomach growling.

Ren looked to the sky, but it was a bit more cloudier than he remembered.  
Had it really been that long since they last ate?

Ren stood in one spot. He scratched his head, deep in thought, thinking about what they could possibly do.  
Maybe they could try retracing their steps back to the path, but he could barely recognize his right from his left anymore. Everything really did look the same.  
He pondered and pondered for a while, he hadn't even notice Nora pulling on his sleeve.

"Renny, Renny!" Her voice soft yet with an hier of excitement.

"Yes Nora?"

"I.." She sniffed the air aggressively. "I smell FOOD."

Ren attempted to join her, and she was right. He did indeed smell something roasting. He was so hungry, he couldn't tell exactly what it was, just that it was savory, and that it smelled GOOD.

The duo used their nose as their eyes, sniffing out the source. This was definitely something new. Nora said she hadn't seen smoke before, and he hadn't seen footprints. Where could this possibly be coming from?

Maybe they were closer to a town than they thought.

Lie Ren was still sniffing the air when a frightened Nora yanked him down into the bushes with her. He made a yelping noise in surprised, but she quickly put her hands over his mouth. They looked at each other and shared an unspoken understanding before Nora removed her hand, and slowly opened a gap in the bushes to show a small tent, a fire and supplies laying out in the open. Over the fire, some kind of food on a skewer. It smelled SOOOO good. The two of them practically made a river of drool salivating over how good it smelled. Food always seems to be the most delicious when you haven't eaten in a while.

"What do you think?" Nora whispered, her voice so soft that only Ren could hear her. He knew what she was asking. Before they had been lucky. They found an abandoned tent with supplies and food, but back then they had waited and no one returned. 

But this tent had a fire and food. Someone was obviously here, or would be back soon.  
Suddenly, a large, rugged man started crawling from the inside the tent. He had long dark-brown hair that was tied into the back into a long braid and vibrant green eyes. His attire a mixture of armor, leather and ornate decor. On his hip, a pair large silver sai-like weapons dangled from his belt. It may have been wishful thinking, but Ren couldn't help but see his father in the warrior in front of him.

Ren's eyes lit up as Nora's eyes narrowed.  
This wasn't just a traveler.  
He was a warrior.  
He was a Huntsman.  
He was intimidating.

Ren self consciously starting moving towards the stranger.  
'Finally, a light at the end of the tunnel.'

Nora grabbed Ren as hard as he could, sitting him back on the forest floor. The bush rattled for a moment, which caused the man to look over at them for only a second. Nora's hand back to covering Lie Ren's face as she held her breath.

"Ow!" He whispered to her. "What are you doing?"

"What are YOU doing?" Nora's voice low, but rising for a moment hoping to bring Ren back to his senses.

"Nora, he's a Huntsman! He might be able to help us!" Ren tried moving his arm free from Nora, getting more and more annoyed at her the more she clung on.

"He's a STRANGER! And he has weapons! What if he tries to hurt us!" The two of them began to argue. The sound of inaudible whispers began to fill the air.

"What else do you expect us to do?!" He snapped at his partner. "We have no idea where we're going. He might be able to show us where to go. Plus, Huntsmen help people!! We can trust him!"

Nora let go of Ren, annoyance and genuine fear painted all over her face. They clearly felt completely different about the situation.

"Not all Huntsman are good people Ren." Her face becoming angrier and angrier by the second. Nora was speaking through her teeth, sounding like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment. "A lot of them are really really bad!"

"You know, the two of you are making it very hard for me to enjoy my lunch with all that whispering going on."  
A deep raspy voiced caused the entire forest to grow still. His voice sending a shiver down Nora's spine. She let go of Ren causing him to make a noticeable thump on the ground within the bushes. She glared at Ren, her arms wrapped around and holding her clothes. Ren grunted looking back at Nora, seeing how...terrified she looked. It was too late now, they had been discovered. 

"Why don't you two come out, and we can talk?"  
Ren didn't understand why Nora was being so apprehensive. He stood up and slowly started walking out of the bush. 

Nora looked betrayed as he stepped forward.

Ren moved slowly towards the stranger, as to show that he wasn't dangerous. The huntsman waved friendly for Ren to come over, almost as both a greeting and response for Ren to not be so afraid. 

"Come on over, I just wanna talk." The unknown huntsman looking past Lie Ren towards the bushes about 10 or so feet away.  
"Is uh, your little friend going to join us?"

Ren's head ducked insecurely. His head frozen, but eyes darting towards Nora. The man chuckled, his own questioned answered.  
"Well, that's a shame. I have three kebabs over a fire, and I don't think I can finish them on my own-" His deep voice sounding more inviting and friendly. 

"I guess me and uhh.." The man looked at the small boy as if to ask his name.  
"What's your name sir?"

Ren was embarrassed by being addressed by the older gentleman.  
"U-uh, my name is Lie Ren-"  
"I guess me and Lie Ren here will just have to eat all this food by ourselves!" 

The bushes remained silent. The man shrug his arms, and gave Lie Ren two of the kebabs, looking back at the bush and back to him with a wink. This caused Ren to smile nervously to the man. He bowed politely, waited for the huntsman to take a few bites of food, before join in.

Some time had passed, they sat in silence. Ren looked intrigued and nervous. The warrior tried figuring out how to talk to the kids without scaring them off too much.

"The name's Ryu by the way." The huntsman sat down across from Ren, poking at his fire with a stick.  
"It's a good thing I had exactly three kebabs here huh." Ryu said, hinting to Lie Ren that he had prepared for this all along.

"Why are you out here alone? Did you get lost on your way back to your village?"  
Ren looked up to the man with sad eyes, his bites smaller. Nora had began making her way slowly to Ren's side. Ryu pretended not to notice her, fearing he'd make her nervous and she'd run away.

The two kids locked eyes at another. Ren gave his hand holding the uneaten kebab to his partner, but Nora still looked upset with him. She reluctantly took the food, sat down and studied the huntsman in front of her. Still afraid to eat the food.

She was dressed in attire he had not at all seen in Anima. It could have easily been Solitasian, maybe even Sanusean? Her clothes shown heavy signs of wear compared to her companion. His clothes looking a little worn, yet middle class. They looked like they've been home in a while.

Ryu noticed their belongings.  
They seemed to have a few bags, a tent, maybe a blanket? 

These kids were alone in the world.  
They looked like they had no idea what they were doing. Where they were going.  
The sight hurt his heart. They were still so young. He could only imagine the heartache they've experienced.  
But they were resourceful. They were strong to have made it this far, and judging by both the boy and girl's response to seeing him in the woods, they were also very smart.

"Nice of you to join us." Nora sat next to her partner, who she was apparently giving the silent treatment.  
"Don't worry the food's not poisonous, see?" He reached over to grab her skewer. This action making Nora hide a little behind Ren, the two again swapping agitated expressions. He paused, studying them. Ryu's brow peaked. He took a piece from Nora's skewer and a piece from his and exchanged them. He sat back down and finished eating.

"See? It's perfectly fine. It's good, try some." Nora sniffed the food, and then took a small bite. Her eyes widened at the taste. She hastily started to chow down on the free food, all while watching the huntsman intensely.

He had heard their previous conversation. From them being lost, to Nora's growling stomach, to their argument in the bushes. Lucky for him he was in the woods making his way towards Mistral, but this place is crawling with Grimm. How did they make it this far without being scratched? Especially with the negative energy the two of them were giving off. 

That wasn't good.  
Whatever argument they were in the middle of, they needed to resolve it fast.  
Him aiding a few kids and giving them a meal is one thing, but protecting 2 kids from the unpredictable nature of Grimm, was another story.

"You know.." Ryu spoke, breaking the tension between the two kids. "You're both right."  
Ren and Nora looked at each other, and then back to the huntsman.

"I think Lie Ren was very smart to approach me." Nora pouted. She had finished her food and was now crossing her arms. "The two of you have no idea where you're going and from the looks of it, little food and no map. However."

Ryu now looked at Ren, who was hanging on his every word.

"Your friend is very right as well. Not all hunters and huntresses are good. They can't all be trusted. Proceeding with caution is also very smart, even with people like me."

The two looked at each other again, expressions softened at the seriousness in Ryu's tone as he scolded them.

"But the world isn't black and white. You need to be smart, cautious, and trusting of those you hold dear. You must be resourceful and able to adapt to all sorts of situations. I don't know what happened to you two-" 

Ren wanted to reply, but Ryu stopped him.  
"But that doesn't matter now. What matters now is the future. What you to going to do now. You can't dwell on the past, on the hurt, or the disagreements. You can only move towards building a better future." 

Ren and Nora stared at each other a little embarrassed, but clearly full of remorse.  
"Now I think the two of you owe each other an apology."

Nora started to cry a little bit, but quickly wiped her tears.

"I'm sorry Ren.."  
"I'm sorry too Nora."

"You two only have each other now, you have to learn to talk to each other and trust one another."  
The duo nodded in unison, giving one another a soft smile.

"Well! That's about all parenting I have in me for the day!" Ryu stood up, giving himself a stretch. "We should get a move on. Higanbana is not too far from here. We can talk more along the way, it looks like it's going to rain soon." He started picking up the skewers, but saw a flock of birds fly all in a hurry against an overcast sky. His eyebrows furrowed. A long caw-like screech echoed near by.

"Lie Ren! You and Nora go inside the tent, and don't come out until I say!"

Nora and Ren held unto one another and hurried into the tent. Ren started to zip it, but kept it slightly open so he could see what was happening outside. The two of them knowing all too well the sound of a Nevermore. A scared Nora held unto Lie Ren's arm, the loud cawing getting closer.

"Ren, can you do the thing again?"  
Nora asked referring to Ren's awakened semblance. He nodded, holding her hand, and focusing his thoughts and aura. Without too much time passing, the screeching of the Nevermore began to disappear. It wasn't until there was an eerie silence, that the two began to worry. Almost in unison, they crawled out of the tent. They were met with a very confused Ryu.

"What....did you two do just now?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello these kids make me emotional. I'm sorry if you're not a fan of Ren and Nora getting into occasional arguments or disagreements, but I promise it's for character growth. I want nothing more than their eternal happiness!


	3. Chapter 3

"Yeah! And so now Ren can make Grimm disappear!" A particular spunky red-head replied, arms behind her head.

The Huntsman stared at the two kids in awe as they made their way down the road.

"I wouldn't say that it makes Grimm disappear, more that Lie Ren becomes invisible to them. Grimm are attracted to negative thoughts and emotions, and it looks like his semblance neutralizes that, giving the illusion that those effected by it disappear from the eye of Grimm. Regardless, a semblance that is able to mask aura.. For a huntsman, that would be extremely useful." Ryu's eyes were on Ren, who looked pleased at the response. "You know, Mistral has a great junior academy for young and inspiring huntsman, kids your age attend there all the time. They even providing boarding, so you two wouldn't have to keep sleeping in a tent." Ren looked at Nora excitedly, where as she looked away a bit in thought.

"It's a good school. It resides on a higher level of the city. The school is a bit expensive, but offer scholarships to talented students who have excellent grades. If you apply yourself and work very hard, you might even be able to get a scholarship to attend a Huntsman Academy such as Haven or Beacon. Oh, that reminds me." Ryu looked at Ren as he continued to speak. 

"Ren, you mentioned you lost your parents to the fall of Kuroyuri right?" Ren frowned. "You should head to Mistral and see if your parents had any extra Lien left to their name. If they did, it would get transferred to you. The Mistral Commercial Bank has a branch in the higher parts of the city, I'm sure someone would be able to help you there."

"Thank you." Ren nodded, taking a mental note.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trio had finally made it to the village of Higanbana, the rain drizzling ever so lightly. The town was very merchant and tradesman heavy. In the distance, the kids could see the lights of Mistral.

"Okay you two, listen very carefully." Lie Ren and Nora gathered close to the huntsman as he pointed to a stop across the road from them.  
"There is a trolley that leaves from here to Mistral city every day at 7am, noon, and 4pm. Be sure to be here a few minutes early, as seating is first come first serve." Ryu handed Nora and Ren some Lien. "You two want the 7am departure. If you leave at Noon, you might not get a seat and you don't want to be around the 4pm crowd- trust me."

He lead the two into a large inn. It was split between an inn, tavern and bathhouse. Ryu spoke to the attendant, purchasing a room for the duo. This surprised the kids. They looked at each other, smiling excitedly. "Thank you!" They said in unison as they bowed in gratitude.   
"This inn is also connected to a bathhouse, so make sure you two clean up before tomorrow. Nora, could you take Ren and your things to the room?"

"Sure!" Nora agreed without argument, quickly following behind the innkeeper. She snuck a glance at Ren and Ryu before she left, but kept on. This left Ren and Ryu alone in the lobby area near the exit. Though the two hadn't spent much time together, Ryu could tell that Ren looked up to him- like a sibling would an older brother. The warrior got on one knee to be at Ren's eye level.

"Listen Lie Ren." Ryu's voice serious. 

"Things aren't going to get any easier from here on out. Do not become dependent on chances like this happening to you and Nora all the time. Not all people will come to your aid, some will even wish for your failure. So you must be swift, strong, resourceful and tactful."

Ryu placed a hand on Ren's shoulder. Ren's eyes mentally soaking all of his knowledge and wisdom like a sponge.  
"You have a very unique and gifted semblance, but it's now your job to decide how you will use it. How it will mold your future." The rain started to get heavier, the sky growing darker as the sun started to set.

"I have to take my leave, but it has been a pleasure to meeting you and Nora. Please take care of yourselves." And just as quickly as he came, the mysterious huntsman was gone. Ren stared out the window, watching his silhouette fade into the mist of the rain until he could no longer see him. Ryu's kind, wise words still swarming around his mind.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ahhhh~~~" Nora said flopping onto the large queen-sized bed after jumping up and down on it for the past hour. 

"I haven't been in a bed in...I don't know how long!" She was rolling happily in her Anima-styled bathing robe and sleepwear provided by the inn. Ren sat at the desk of the room in silence. He was deep in thought, his hair still wet from bathing and pulled into a messy bun. Nora had noticed how quiet her partner had been ever since he got back from speaking to Ryu. She sat up, her attention on Ren.

"Hey...Ren. Are you okay?" Nora's voice heavy with concern. Ryu's many words of wisdom flooded Ren's head.

'You two only have each other now, you have to learn to talk to each other and trust one another.'

Ren was never good with words and vocalizing his feelings, but he knew he had to try. Nora had been understanding and trusting so what was stopping him? He promised her they'd keep each other safe, and the two of them have kept that promise thus far, but he needed to trust her more.

"I.." He started to speak. "I think I'm going to enroll at the Junior Huntsman Academy at Mistral." His voice full of resolve.

"I want to become strong. I want to be able to protect myself."  
Nora moved from off the bed. As Ren spoke, she reached into her bag, pulling out the small wooden hammer Ren gave her the night they met.

"I want to be like father, I want to make him proud." Nora's hand was hesitant, but she gathered the courage to place a comforting touch on her Ren's shoulder.

"I wanna enroll there too!" She held the small hammer to her chest. Ren's eye widen in surprise, but relaxed as she continued. "I wanna be strong but I really wanna protect people! I wanna to help people like how Ryu helped us! I wanna be a good huntress that helps the weak when no one else won't! And.."

She looked at Ren smiling, his eyes thinking the same as her. She held out her pinky finger with her free hand.  
"I want to be able to protect us both."

Ren nodded in agreement, putting his finger in with hers under the dim of the candlelight of the room.

Little did the world know, Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren would grow to become some of the strongest Huntsman to ever come from Anima.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how quickly I'll be able to update these chapters and I'm still working on what I would like the contents to be. Hope you enjoyed the story so far!


End file.
